So you think you're a good driver: How can you tell?

Landing a passenger plane without any training or experience is easy. Well, according to one-third of Americans (and 50% of men) who were asked this question it is.

While an Australian equivalent of this study hasn’t, to my knowledge been conducted, surveys into Aussie’s driving abilities have with many revealing similar overconfident results.

One 2021 survey conducted by the RAC found that 73 per cent of young drivers (aged 17-21) rate their driving ability as better or much better than other drivers in their age group.

This is despite 40 per cent of the same group admitting to being involved in a crash while driving.

“It would seem many young drivers have an attitude of ‘it will never happen to me,’ which puts them at a higher risk and sadly leads to them being over-represented in serious road crashes,” RAC’s Rhys Heron said.

Other research that incorporated older age groups found comparable results in terms of a driver’s perception of their ability behind the wheel. But given the study into Americans landing planes, I wonder - is this perception accurate?

According to the experts, a good driver is a safe one, while an unsafe driver, yep you got it, isn’t.

“Safe drivers try to minimise distractions as much as possible. They keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road and they drive defensively,” says Finder’s Taylor Blackburn.

“Unsafe drivers take unnecessary risks – whether it is trying to turn in front of an oncoming car that is very close, driving over the speed limit, failing to check their blind spot or just driving distracted. This can mean looking at your phone or trying to send messages or emails whilst driving or even when stopped at a light.”

Behaviour, decisions, and actions that good drivers exhibit, RACV’s Head of Policy, James Williams says, also include:

“A safe driver starts with understanding and abiding by the road rules and being comfortable behind the wheel of a vehicle,” Williams says.

A safe driver handles their vehicle with confidence and will drive to the conditions, which may mean reducing their speed to account for weather, traffic, hazards, or road quality.

“Self-awareness while driving is important for road safety,” says Williams. This includes being aware of any potential impairment such as fatigue.

Regular servicing and maintaining adequate insurance provide further safety and reassurance for a driver.

“It’s important for motorists to stay up to date with the latest rules in their state as road rules can change over time,” says Williams.

Ways a driver can do this include participating in a refresher driving lesson with a Drive School professional or enrolling in a driver training course to improve on your fundamentals.

Additionally, often-confused road rules and tips to become a better driver are covered on state and territory websites.

Finally, if you are unsure if you are a safe driver, ask yourself the following questions:

And remember, while confident driving can be a sign of a good driver, overconfidence, can have you believe you can land a passenger plane, which the experts have said, without training, is in reality, close to zero.

Related: Six things that show you’re a good driver

Related: Is it too easy to get a driver’s licence?

Related: How do you know if you're a bad driver?